Things to know about Hiking in Guilin

If you are planning a Guilin tour in the near future, make it a hiking tour because you can enjoy many things - stunning views, the rural landscape, meeting the local people, savoring the local delicacies and so on. To start your hiking tour you can begin Guilin city, explore the local attractions like the Red Flute Cave, The Elephant Trunk Hill, Longsheng Rice Terrace, Li River, Four Lakes, Seven Star Park and then go for the hiking expeditions. Most probably, a Guilin guide will advise you to stay at one of the hotels in Guilin and then start the hiking tour the next day. There are many nearby villages in Guilin for hiking lovers. Every village in Guilin has interesting legends and you can note them when you hike. You can start your tour by visiting the Yandi village first.

Yandi village 

This is a picturesque village located just 46 kilometers away from Guilin city. A lovely little hill with two peaks serves as the backdrop for this village. There is an interesting legend says that the hill is actually a goat that belonged to the Jade Emperor's daughter. The daughter came down from heaven and became attracted to a young man playing the flute in the moonlight. She stayed back, however, her goat was changed into a hill. The two peaks of the hill are the hoofs of the hill. It is from this village that you can enjoy mystical beauty of the Li River and the charm of landscapes, the winding waters and captivating hills. In fact, this is the most beautiful stretch of the river.

Xingping Town

The largest town in Guilin and situated 63 kilometers from the main city, Xingping is worth a detailed hike. It will take you 3-4 hours to reach Xingping from Yandi. There are many beautiful hills bordering this town. You can hike along the Xingping Old Street and Fishing Village; both holding interesting history and tradition of a major town. Walking along the villages, enjoying the countryside and meeting with the locals, savoring a lunch with local delicacies are the attractions here.

Yulong River and the Moon Hill

The Yulong River located in Yangshuo county is largest part of the Li River. There are plenty of hiking trails in this picturesque rural countryside. You can ride in bamboo rafts to enjoy the scenery because the river is narrow enough for a boat. Once you get down from the bamboo raft, you can continue with the hiking. There are quiet and unique routes along the Yulong River, so you can choose those if you want.  An average hiking trail would take about 4 hours and the trail will take you to the Moon Hill.

The Moon Hill is one of the most important landmarks of Yangshuo. There is a huge cave/hill that runs through the hill and it has the shape of a moon, hence the name. The hill is 380 meters high and about 800 steps lead to top of the hill. When you get on top, you can enjoy a magnificent view.

These are the major attractions when you are hiking along the Li river in Guilin. Of course, there are plenty more to see, but you need to spend more time and stay longer. 

For more Guilin information, see our Guilin travel guide here.